


to kingdom come

by neutralize



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Dissociation, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Not Beta Read, Panic Attacks, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-14
Updated: 2017-09-14
Packaged: 2018-12-29 22:16:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12094602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neutralize/pseuds/neutralize
Summary: Two of Asahi's fingers press themselves quickly but gently on Noya's mouth. "Breathe, Nishinoya. Slow, through your nose, then your mouth," Asahi quietly tells him.Noya lets out a small, sputtering gasp, not realizing he's been holding his breath the entire time.HQ!! 270 spoilers. Nishinoya, Inarizaki, and the fallout.





	to kingdom come

**Author's Note:**

> My friend Nata dragged me kicking and screaming into _Haikyuu!!_ about three weeks ago, and this ship has me in its chokehold until further notice. I still don't feel especially confident writing these two, but hopefully this does them justice.
> 
> Title taken from [a song of the same name](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2GpvHh0bIeo), which was the (loose) inspiration behind this.

Nishinoya's first high school match was memorable, partly because Karasuno had won, but also because a middle blocker from the other team puked all over the floor halfway through the second set. It was thoroughly disgusting and wildly hilarious; Tanaka and he had howled endlessly about it on the bus back home, so much that the pair was punished with ten minutes of finger pushups the moment they returned to Karasuno. _If you ever do that in a match, I'm filming it and putting it on YouTube_ , Tanaka had chortled, fingers shaking; Noya had shot back, _Not if you do it first._

That had been almost two years ago, seemingly another lifetime, as far as he's concerned. Now, as Karasuno forms a wobbly line to thank Inarizaki for the match, Nishinoya's mind wanders to the memory. Instead of laughter, he finds something else entirely - it's foreign as it is deeply, definitely unfunny.

His teammates bow and Noya lags a half second behind - not enough for the casual eye to notice, of course, but his teammates do and for once the feeling of eyes all on him is unsettling and suffocating. He throws his body too forcefully into the bow, and for a brief moment his body teeters. An arm to his right, long, tan, glistening, catches Noya before he faceplants; when Noya spares a side glance, all he sees is Asahi's stare, stone and fixed well beyond the other side of the net. He follows Asahi's line of vision; it falls on the Miya twins, who look equally intense.

He knows that his head isn't actually detaching itself from his body, but there's something in the way Asahi sets his gaze on them that makes Noya feel like it is.

Noya feels himself being abruptly swept away by a powerful grasp, the dizzying lights and roar of the gym swallowed away in some distant vaccuum. When the scene straightens itself, they're in the locker room and Asahi is kneeling over him, hands planted firmly on his shoulders. Even kneeling, Asahi seems endless and unrelenting and Noya's gut fills with dread, suddenly very much aware how much a size discrepancy there is between them.

"Asa - "

Two of Asahi's fingers press themselves quickly but gently on Noya's mouth. "Breathe, Nishinoya. Slow, through your nose, then your mouth," Asahi quietly tells him.

Noya lets out a small, sputtering gasp, not realizing he's been holding his breath the entire time. Asahi retracts his hand and Noya tries to breathe, he really does, but his lungs are in some imaginary vice and Asahi is just _there_ , patient and resilient as always and -

"Don't get mad, Asahi-san," Noya says, voice cracking. He can't feel his fingers. "I - "

"I could never be angry with you," Asahi interrupts, gripping his shoulders again to pull him close; they're centimeters away and Noya can see the way strands of hair cling to Asahi's forehead, over dark eyes filled with endless concern. Noya's face is numbing. "We won, it's over. You were phenomenal, Nishinoya," he says.

"No I wasn't," Noya protests weakly, finding it increasingly difficult to string together words. "I got none of his receives, Asahi." 

"You were," Asahi repeats, and this time he's the one who looks pained, which only makes Nishinoya feel cataclysmically treacherous.

"Asahi, why - " Noya begins, but stops when Asahi pulls him into his chest. His face slides into the crook of Asahi's neck, the collar scratching over his eyes. Noya smells sweat and something else that reminds him of dark earth, unyielding and resolute.

" _Yuu,_ " Asahi breathes into the dark, "how could I not believe in you, when that's all you've ever done for me?"

Nishinoya's nerves flare back to life.

_Who barfs in the middle of a match, anyway_ , Tanaka had grumbled, lobbing his damp gym clothes on the floor and grabbing his school uniform. _Cry, maybe, but not barf. I could see you totally busting out the waterworks, Noya-san_.

_Fat chance_ , Nishinoya snapped at him, lazy grin curling at his lips. _Like I'd ever have a match that bad._

Noya cries and cries into Asahi, until there isn't anything left inside of him.


End file.
